The Strange Beautiul Places
by darkangel9314
Summary: When Nadia finds out the father she once knew is really her kidnapper her life is changed when she is reunited with her birth parents in Bulgaria. Now in a place that is not home, can Nadia come to terms with her new reality or will she crumple under the pressure?
1. Chapter 1

The Strange Beautiful Places

Chapter 1

Nadia woke up one morning feeling as if she was different. The feeling was strange and she didn't know exactly why she was feeling this way. She sighed and threw off her covers. She had to get dressed or else she would be late. She always hated being late to school.

After she found a look that satisfied her, she went downstairs to see her dad looking intensely at the TV. Usually he watched the news in the mornings and he only looked that way when something really bad was happening. Nadia looked at him concerned as he quickly turned off the TV. What was happening?

"Hey dad, What's up?"

Her dad's spine straightened up as he pushed the off button on the televeision and spun around so fast that she couldn't even believe it. What the hell was going on? Her dad never had acted this nervous before.

"Dad?"

"It's nothing my sweet. Let me make you some breakfast."

Nadia nodded and sat down at the table twiddling her thumbs. Usually she would pry on the issue, but she had no energy to do it this morning. She had three midterms today and she didn't feel like adding any addition stress to herself.

Her dad placed some bacon, eggs, and toast on the table and she scarfed it down. She had to go.

"Thanks dad. I have to get to school."

Before she could go her dad stopped her and pulled her into a hug. She didn't understand why. He really wasn't the affectionate type.

"I love you Nadia. Never forget that."

"I love you too. What's this all about?"

"It's nothing baby girl. Just go to school and i'll see you later okay?"

"Okay. Bye dad."

"Bye."

Nadia was about to go out the door when it happened. The moment that would change her life forever. One moment she was about to go to another boring and long day at school the next moment there was police barging through the door. It all happened so fast that Nadia had no way of knowing what was happening. One moment she was this happy child with everything in her life. The next her father was being taken down by multiple swat members and she was being dragged into the back of the police car.

She cried out to her dad as the door slammed shut and she was left there in silence not knowing what the hell was going to happen to her next.


	2. Chapter 2

The Strange and Beautiful Places

Chapter 2

As Nadia stared down at the hot cup of coffee someone had just placed in her hands, she couldn't help but wonder if the past hour had all been a dream. She had no clue what the hell was going on and no one had really told her when they had taken her against her will to the police station. Why the hell was she here? And what did her dad do that was so bad?

Whatever her dad had done, she hoped that he could get it all straightened out, so they could go home. That's all she really wanted was to home and return to her life like nothing had happened. Unfortunately fate had other plans, because when that detective entered the room her life had changed forever. She just didn't know it yet.

The door opened and Nadia's eyes shot up as she looked up to see a woman around the age of thirty stare back at her. The woman had long blonde hair that reached down to her back and these kind blue eyes. If she hadn't ruined Nadia's life she might have liked this detective a little more, but as soon as the woman sat down she knew that her life was never going to be the same again. She wasn't going home. She would never go home again.

"Hello Nadia, my name is Detective Lexi Branson. I know you're confused as to what is happening, but I've come in here to straighten a few details out."

Nadia lifted one eyebrow. "Like telling me why the hell you sent a SWAT team after my dad. He's done nothing wrong! Why am I here? Where is he? Can I see him?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea Nadia."

"Why not?"

Lexi gave her a sad smile and reached her hand across the table putting it over Nadia's as if trying to comfort her about something. Nadia would have moved her hand if she wasn't so confused. Why did this detective think she was a child who needed comfort? All she wanted to know is why she couldn't go see her dad? What had he done that was so bad?

"I want you to prepare yourself Nadia, because what I'm about to tell you won't be easy. As a matter of fact It'll be very hard for you to comprehend at first, but I promise you that you will get through this. There will be people there to help you through this and It's all going to be okay eventually."

"What the hell are you taking about?"

Lexi took in a deep breath and reached into the file she had been holding taking out three pictures. Nadia looked at her in puzzlement.

"Do you recognize these people?"

Nadia's eyebrows went up as she looked down at the photos. The first photo was of a woman who looked to be in her early to mid thirties. She had long brown hair that curled and brown eyes that looked familiar to Nadia. She just couldn't place where she had seen those eyes before.

"It may sound strange, but the eyes kind of look familiar. I feel like I've seen her before but I'm not sure where."

She looked down at the other photo. The man here also looked like he was in his mid thirties. Maybe slightly older than the woman, but not by much. He looked like a man who was kind though with his sandy brown hair that looked like superhero hair and kind green eyes.

"I haven't seen this guy before though."

She looked at the last photo and almost chocked on air. It felt like all the air had left her body as she looked at the couple holding a baby. A bay that looked all too familiar.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"Nadia-"

"Why is this woman holding a baby that looks almost exactly like me? Is she a sibling that I don;t know about?"

"I'm afraid not Nadia."

"No, No that can't be. This baby can't be me."

"Nadia, I told you this would be hard news to process. Just try to remain calm and I'll tell you everything."

Nadia shook her head. She couldn't believe this. Hell she didn't want to believe this. All she wanted was to run put of that room and go to her dad. This was all just a big coincidence that she looked like that child. There was no way that her dad could be as cruel as these people were implying. But for some reason something kept her there. Something kept her interested in hearing this story.

"This woman right here is Katerina Petrova and this man right here is Stefan Salvatore. They live in Bulgaria-"

"Than this is all a mistake. I doubt I was born there. I mean I have a slight accent, but that's because of my father."

"Did your father ever tell you where he was from?"

"It never came up in conversations at the dinner table. My father is a very private man."

"And why do you think that was?"

"I don't know. What are you trying to tell me that I was adopted or something, because I'm pretty sure they just can't take me away from my father if that's the case. And they sure as hell wouldn't send a SWAT team after him."

"You're right they wouldn't if you were adopted Nadia."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Katerina and Stefan had a daughter. Her name was Nadia Petrova."

"It's just a coincidence than. Can I go home now?"

"Your father was their friend. Nadia."

"No. He wasn't. He couldn't be."

"He had just lost his wife and unborn baby in a car crash."

"Shut up."

"There's no easy way to tell you this Nadia. They've been looking for your father there for years, because one night when Stefan was at work. He broke into their home, took a knife from the kitchen, stabbed Katerina twice in the back and took you from your crib. We still don't know how he managed to smuggle you out of the country and to the United States, but he did. And than after all these years we've finally found you."

The color drained from Nadia's face. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her father could never such vile things.

"Your wrong."

"I wish I was Nadia, but your father fits their description and they had a photo of him from before. I wish I had better news for you, but life is just going to get harder from here."

"What exactly do you mean?"

"Stefan and Katerina want you back Nadia. They want to spend as much time with you as possible."

"When are they coming here?"

"They'll be here tomorrow. We'll have to place you in the system tonight until they come, but you should be fine until than."

Nadia took a deep breath this was a lot to take in. She didn't even know these people.

"Well I guess they can stay at the house. I mean I'm not sure how that'll work, but I guess it's possible."

Nadia looked up to see the look of sadness in Lexi's eyes.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"I wish it was that simple Nadia and I wish I could do more but unfortunately I can't."

"Why? What's going on?"

"Since you weren't born in the United States, you're an illegal immigrant, which mean that we'll have to send you back to Bulgaria."

"Are you saying that I'm getting deported back to a country I've never even heard of much less been to."

"I'm not going to lie to you Nadia. In a word yes we have to deport you, but when you're eighteen you can file for a visa and come back to the states if you wish if you're approved."

"I can't believe this."

"You'll get through this Nadia. I know it's hard now, but eventually you'll make it through this."

Nadia looked at the detective with tear filled eyes and jumped out of her seat spitting in the detectives face.

"Screw you." she said going to the corner so she could let it all out.

"I really do wish you the best of luck Nadia, but for right now it's time to go."

Nadia took a deep breath and walked past the detective as she was escorted to another squad car and taken to a shelter where her new family would pick her up in the morning. She didn't know how the hell they expected her to be okay with this, but she knew that she would make their life a living hell while she was there. Why couldn't they just let her be?

She sighed and laid on the hard bed thinking about all that happened that day as she cried herself to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The Strange Beautiful Places

Chapter 3

In all of Nadia's life she had never felt like a person on the outside looking in, but as soon as she woke up in a jail cell that morning she realized that this was exactly what that felt like. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as if doing so would make her go back to her original home and back to the person she had thought was her father only that didn't happen and instead all she saw was the guard across the way from her staring at her as if she was the one who committed the crime. It wasn';t her fault that her father had kidnapped her as a baby

And before she knew it they were there. If she had to describe them they looked like the poster children for good parenting. She had seen there picture earlier but nothing really had done them justice until she was looking into her real mother's face. It felt like warmth. It felt like home.

"Nadia-" The woman breathed getting closer to the bars desperately hoping that Nadia would take her hand, but she stood where she was motionless as if she didn't move than this wouldn't be real. That he could go back to living in the states and not some foreign country that she knew nothing about. Where had they been searching for her all these years and how did they finally know where to find her.

Breaking the silence, the guard cleared his throat grabbing his keys and opening her cell causing her mother to fly into her arms. Nadia was taken by surprise and tried to struggle away but she kept holding her. No. This was too real. She felt as if she couldn't breath.

"Please. Get off me." she said through a strangled breath.

Katherine let go with a look of shock crossing her face. Nadia really didn't care what she felt like at the moment because it couldn't have been any worse than what she was feeling. Katherine and Stefan already had their daughter back. They had had everything they had always wanted standing right in front of them, but it was Nadia who had to leave things like her friends and the only family she had ever had. And now she was being forced into this new lifestyle that she didn't even know about. How was she supposed to live like this? And how was she supposed to cope? How could anyone understand having an emotional attachment to a person who had kidnapped you?

Nadia had no real reason to trust these people. Sure they were her flesh and blood, but they weren't the people who raised her. They weren't the people who had taught her how to walk. They weren't the people who had taught her how to talk or write or ride a bike or the numerous other things that the person who she thought was her dad did. They never held her while she cried at night awoken by nightmares that she couldn't explain and they weren't there for the times that she felt utter joy. How could you claim that someone was yours if you weren't there to begin with. She knew it was irrational to have that thought process. She couldn;t help it. It was better than thinking that the person who had raised her was a criminal, because to her he was her dad who tried his damn hardest to make her the best person that she could be and she hated that about this situation. How could they just expect her to drop everything she had known about this guy and to hate him? It just wasn't fair.

But the look of hurt that washed over Katherine's eyes when she had found out that Nadia had rejected her made her hurt even worse. Nadia had never had a mother growing up thanks to her father claiming that she was dead, but now that she knew she had a mother she felt cheated that she had missed out on that whole experience. She knew this was hurting her, but she also rationally knew that this whole situation was hurting Stefan and Katherine too, just in a completely different way.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm still getting used to this. It's not every day that a person finds out that she was kidnapped and she now has to go live a different life out of the one she's had for years."

"I apologize too. I should have known better than to hug you. I knew you wouldn't be ready it's just that..Well you have no idea what this has been like for me losing you for all these years and than finally we found you. Its a dream come true for me. I guess I just wanted to prove to myself that it was real."

"And I can understand that, but I'm still adjusting and if you're going to take me to some foreign countries than I want to say goodbye to a few people first."

Stefan and Katherine exchanged looks as if they wanted to drag her out of the cell and throw her on the neck plane ride right there and now, but they wouldn't be that lucky. If they wanted a fight from her it was a fight they would get but she would rather go peacefully so this was her only exception.

"Who do you want to say goodbye to?" Stefan said speaking up for the first time since they had been there.

"I know you guys will disapprove, but I want to say goodbye to my father. Now before you say anything please note that I didn't know he was a bad person when I was hauled here. He's the only person I've ever really had in my life and he's the only one I want to say goodbye to. You guys can keep supervise it if you want or don't I can imagine you want to tear him limb from limb and you have every right to, but please for my sake let me say goodbye."

For a brief second it seemed like Katherine was going to fight her on this, but after that she only nodded her head as she asked the guard to take them to him. Nadia took a deep breath knowing that what she was about to hear next would change her life forever.


End file.
